


Strange

by Katness2019



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: BUT ALSO AGAIN, BUUT I’m so sexy at writing so read this pls, But also, But really you can play it off as friendship, But we love her, Cause I'm a #multishipper, Chit Sang is there to ig, Gen, Hakoda (Avatar) is a Good Parent, Hurt/Comfort, I mean she is always pretty but thats implied, Idk how to write Suki, I’m bad at titles, Kataang if you squint, Katara didn't have to trust Zuko mind you, Kinda?, Mentioned Ozai (Avatar), Obligatory Gaang finds out about Zuko's Scar, One Shot, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Precious Aang (Avatar), Protective Sokka (Avatar), She's baby anyways, Stubborn Katara (Avatar), Suki is Pretty (Avatar), The Gaang Learns How Zuko Got The Scar (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko Friendship, Toph Beifong Being Awesome, Western Air Temple, Zukka is you squint, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko's Scar (Avatar), blink and you'll miss him, but he's barely there, help :(, zutara if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:09:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26990443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katness2019/pseuds/Katness2019
Summary: [Set after the Boiling Rock]The Gaang had noticed Zuko was distant and avoided them. He was scared of them.(little snippit cause I'm quirky)Zuko hesitated. He wasn’t sure how comfortable he felt talking about something this...traumatic? Zuko had nightmares about this; he couldn’t just blatantly throw it out there. He could have given them anything they wanted except this. They wanted to know about his mother? Fine! They wanted to know about the first time he was nearly assassinated? Fine! His father trying to shoot lightning at him when he knew Zuko wasn’t able to redirect it? Perfectly fine. His banishment was different.
Comments: 29
Kudos: 833
Collections: avatar tingz





	Strange

Zuko...was strange.

Aang found it extremely difficult to picture that angry boy with a ponytail, shouting orders and pointing towards his crewmates. Now that Zuko wasn’t trying to actively murder Zuko he was simply left with his...awkwardness.

He’d stumble for his words; he was too timid and shied away from the group; he’d apologize consistently. 

Zuko was trying to get their trust yet he didn’t seem to trust them. 

Aang, ever the pacifist,  _ wanted _ Zuko to trust them. Something about knowing someone is afraid of him...felt off.

Aang didn’t want t scare people, even Zuko.    
Even though Zuko tried to kidnap him and sacrifice him to Firelord Ozai...Aang truly thought Zuko had changed. If Zuko was still the same as before he would have killed them all in their sleep already - instead, he has been avoiding them like the plague.

He didn’t even sleep nearby. He opted for sleeping at his previous campsite or really anywhere that the Gaang wasn’t.

Aang couldn’t speak for the others, but Zuko rarely spoke to him. The only time he really did so was when they were training. Occasionally Aang would pass Zuko in the corridors of the western air temple and they’d have some small talk, but Zuko would search for any possible exit as soon as he could. 

Aang wanted Zuko to trust him and he wanted to trust Zuko. 

***

Sokka truly didn’t mind jerkbender joining the team.

Zuko seemed to stay out of the way, never made snide comments; you’d barely notice he was there! The most contact Sokka had ever got with Zuko was when the prince saved his father and Suki. After that, it seemed to be back to avoiding.

But Sokka wasn’t  _ completely _ content with the angry firebender’s sudden...personality change. 

He’s just SAYING.

It was weird that only...what? A month ago? Zuko was following their footsteps, trying to devour their souls and return his honor and all that jazz. Now he was just...scared and distant.

How could the Fire Prince, sworn heir to the throne, be so...scared of a few kids.

Well...technically Zuko was a kid too. 

But Sokka didn’t think they looked all too threatening. If he stumbled upon a group of kids consisting of a girl with hair loopies, a short blind girl, a bald twelve-year-old, and a devilishly handsome boy...he wouldn’t necessarily be afraid of them.

But Zuko had also seen the group in action.

He was probably scared because he knew of the power the other had. What with Katara’s waterbending that could ACTUALLY  _ impale _ someone, Toph’s flawless earthbending, and Aang with his everything.

But Zuko was also powerful. He had fought them before and won...for a few hours or so until the gaang would rescue Aang or whoever he may have kidnapped.

Maybe Zuko was always like...this, perhaps it was simply them stripping the jerkbender of his fury.

Before he was mad, awkward, and tense, but now he’s just awkward and tense.

And even Sokka would have to admit...he wanted Zuko to be more of a friend. It was so strange! Having someone you live yet you know so little about them.

When Toph entered the Avatar Gang, she didn’t just become Aang’s teacher; she became their friend. 

Toph talked to them, laughed with them, told them stories of her earthbending mafia, or whatever she was in. 

But Zuko didn’t talk to Sokka. When Sokka would see him in the corridors, Zuko would make a sharp turn, pretending he never even SAW the water tribe “peasant”.

Sokka wanted to lie to himself and say “Zuko just thinks he’s too good for us” but he knew that wasn’t true. 

Zuko was scared of them.

***

The Fire Nation Prince burned down Kyoshi Island.

That was an undeniable fact.

_ However. _

Suki struggled to stay mad at the boy. It was to a point where she was mad at herself for not being mad at the prince.

He burned down her village!

But he was so...different now. 

The prince wasn’t the same boy who burned down her village. 

He burned down her  _ home! _

She should be livid. He destroyed the one place she could rely on. The one thing she could be a part of. The same village where she was born and raised. She had friends there and her father lived there! She remembered sprinting to the schoolhouse, laughing with her friend, Amala. The schoolhouse was no longer up. It had suffered too many burns and could not be salvaged so they had built a new one.

Well... in all fairness, the prince handled it better than any other firebender would have. It was not his intention to burn the village, he was just aiming for Aang. Which was  _ bad _ , but at least he had a goal and wasn’t burning it down for fun! Even when Aang put the fires out, the Fire Prince didn’t ignite them again. Any other firebender would have.

Also, it was hard to be mad at a scarred socially awkward boy; she was amazed at how Katara managed to do so.

***   
Katara was not mad with Zuko. She was livid.

The water tribe girl could barely comprehend how the other’s willingly accepted the ash maker into their family.

Did Sokka not remember his mother?  _ Their _ mother had to suffer at the hands of a merciless nation. How could he allow one of  _ them  _ into the temple?

Did Aang not remember his ancestry being thrown away, burnt to ashes with such little hesitance? The world had nearly forgotten airbenders all together. Had Zuko’s people not been around, Aang’s people would still be alive. 

Did Toph not remember her seared feet? That was her only way to see the world! How could she protect herself when her feet, her most reliable source, was gone. Yet she allows the monster into the group.

They have all gone blind…… Ugh, Katara can already hear Toph yapping about being blind  _ already _ . But it was as if they saw Zuko as a new person.

Zuko might have changed a bit. But Katara can recall a time where Zuko had “changed” and stabbed them right in the back.

Even if this was different, Katara shouldn’t have to be all buddy-buddy with the fire-spitter. 

He hurt her friends. Her family.  _ Her _ . 

She shouldn’t have to forgive him. He was a monster.

Aang was just too nice for his own good! Zuko was a liar, a murderer, an  _ ashmaker _ . But they wanted his trust and his love and his attention. 

Zuko used Katara back at the Crystal Catacombs, burnt her friend’s feet,  _ nearly killed Aang. _ It was a little less than fair that all Katara could do is bite remarks.

But everyone expected her to forgive him! To pretend Zuko was a perfect little angel.

What is stopping him?

He could run back to Fire Lord Ozai any minute! Daddy’s little boy, spying on the Avatar to find his weak spots. 

Zuko was not to be trusted. Not by Katara at least.

***

Toph liked Zuko.

Yeah, he burned her feet, so what! Katara was way more upset than Toph.

The girl had  _ tried _ to tell the waterbender that it was her fault. Zuko was asleep and Toph abruptly woke him up; he thought she was trying to hurt him. Sugar Queen wouldn’t hear a word of it though.

They acted like it was the boy himself who committed mass genocide when it was just his father! Well, Katara did. Aang wanted to be his friend and Sokka tried a bit too. 

Toph wasn’t there for Zuko trying to capture Aang and all the who’s-its and what’s-its. Her first impression of the boy was “Ah Evil Firebender” because he was throwing flames at her. But after that, he was just...Sparky.

He apologized nearly every time he caught sight of her. He felt bad, he was telling the truth. Zuko hadn’t yet lied to Toph. 

Perhaps he looked scary? Toph couldn’t really tell his physical appearance without feeling it. She knew his height and that was around it. His height wasn’t too threatening though. He was nearly an adult already and he was only 5’3. 

But her personality was certainly not threatening. Imagine being scared of a boy who apologizes to the pillars his shoulder hits.    
Sparky seemed more afraid of them than they did him though. She couldn’t decipher whether Zuko’s heart was always that fast or if it was just when he was around them. He didn’t ever...relax.

When he was picking up dinner, when he was about to go to bed, when he was training: his heart was crazy.

He was on constant alert, not a second of peace.

Honestly, Toph was about to hit him just because she couldn’t focus with his heartbeat going bat-shit crazy 24/7.

***

It was dinner time already. The group of children was scattered around a fire whilst Katara put the finishing pieces on the meal.    
Sokka couldn’t help but notice a certain firebender poke his head out from the corridor. He spotted them around the fire and abruptly turned around.

“Zuko! Come sit with us,” Aang beamed waving over the boy.

His eyes widened and he uncomfortably shook his head ‘no’ from across the room.

“He says no,” Sokka informed her, and she could HEAR the pout. 

Toph couldn’t take it anymore. The dumb bitch had been avoiding their friendship for too long. She quickly sat up and went towards the threshold.

“Hey, Sparky!” Toph commanded, “Come sit with us! We haven’t seen you around. Well...I’ve never seen you around.”

Zuko hesitated, “Katar-”

“Just come?”

Zuko inhaled sharply, but she could feel him nod. She led the way back to the table.

Sokka grinned widely. Zuko was joining them for once! Nice job Toph. 

The Fire Nation Prince sat down next to Toph, Chit Sang on the other side. He didn’t look too content with it though; it was obvious Zuko didn’t want to be there.

Katara came out carrying a platter that held several bowls. She was too distracted making sure the platter didn’t fall she didn’t even notice the fire prince.

“Sokka, could you grab a bowl and bring it up to his royal highness?” Katara muttered, stretching out her other arm to catch a leaning platter.

“Oh!” Sokka exclaimed his lopsided smile spreading like bitter, “Actually Zuko’s joining us tonight!”

Katara’s eyes were finally dragged away from her precious bowls and went to the campfire. They locked on Zuko; her icy blue eyes simply glaring daggers into Zuko’s distraught golden eyes. 

“I see.”

“I don’t!” Toph joked, grinning like a hyena at her own blind joke. 

Zuko shifted uncomfortably in his seat, eyes flickering away from the waterbender’s.

Katara did the same in return and focused back on the platter. She began handing bowls out to the group, even Zuko.

“Thank you,” his lips quirked upwards like he wanted to smile but it didn’t quite reach.

_ Not to be trusted. _

_ You still have to be polite! _

“You’re welcome,” Katara sniffed, turning to Chit Sang and offering him a bowl of rice which he gladly accepted.

Toph felt Sparky’s heartbeat slow down once Katara moved on, but it was still quicker than everyone else’s.

Katara finished passing bowls around and sat down, right next to Aang and Sokka. She also happened to sit directly across from Zuko.

_ Yay _ .

The group ate quietly for most of the meal, most likely due to the Fire Nation Prince’s presence. The temple was simply filled with sounds of quiet chewing and the occasional clatter of bowls. Usually, there would be jokes and laughter; sometimes they’d sit in silence if they were too distraught to focus on the luxury of positivity. 

But tonight they were fine. In fact...it had been a pretty good day. Toph was able to get Aang to learn a new earthbending move; Katara, Sokka, and Hakoda caught up; even Chit Sang had a good time, scoping out his new home.

Yet they were drowned with silence.

Zuko cleared his throat, “I should go.”

“No.”

Katara was probably the least likely to command the firebender to stay, yet she was the one who had spit out the word.  _ No _ . She told Zuko, whom she clearly had a passionate...dislike for, to stay with them as they ate.

Even the scarred boy was left with no words. 

And...honestly? Part of Katara couldn’t believe she had dared to say such.

“I don’t like you,” Katara began with a glower on her face, “But I like your behavior even less.”

She continued with a frown, “You joined our group...but it doesn’t exactly seem like you want to be here. What are you planning?”

Zuko wasn’t planning anything. He truly was trying his best to be good, but he was just...bad at being good. He tried his hardest to stay out of their way, he did as they asked, he kept quiet...so what exactly led Katara to believe he was plotting against them?

Katara had a  _ right _ to be mad at Zuko, he didn’t expect her to forgive him for his mistakes. He was willing to accept he made bad decisions in the past and he should pay for them. But Katara was the only one who agreed.

“Now that Katara mentions it…you have been...odd, your highness,” Suki hesitantly allied with Katara, “I mean...it could all just be a coincidence but you’ve been avoiding us quite a bit.”

Haru hummed in agreement with the girls, “I don’t understand what’s stopping you from going back to your father.”

Zuko had barely even interacted with Haru! All he knew about the earthbender was he had to shave his dumb mustache and that was near it. How could Zuko be suspicious of someone of whom he’d had no verbal interactions with?

And even ignoring that...they simply...didn’t understand the circumstances Zuko was under.

“I can’t...just go back,” Zuko informed them, his brow creasing.

Sokka scratched his head, “Well sure ya’ can, can’t you? I mean not that I think you're creating some mastermind plan to stab us in the back or rather shoot lightning at us in the back.”

Zuko didn’t even know how to form lightning yet, he could simply redirect it. It had been his sister who shot the bolt towards the avatar...thought Zuko did cause it.

“I was  _ banished _ , not to come back until I captured the Avatar,” Zuko explained like he was trying to explain to them that the sky was blue, “Even if I did such, they wouldn’t welcome me back. I kinda told my father he sucked and then...left. Well, he tried to kill me and then I left.”

…

“Ozai tried to  _ kill _ you?” Toph exclaimed. Telling by everyone’s silence they were quite stunned as well; Toph was just the one who had enough guts to comment on it. 

Hakoda was lost for words. He couldn’t speak on behalf of all fathers...but he just couldn’t imagine it. If Sokka, the same age as Zuko, betrayed him...Hakoda still couldn’t bring him to...y’know. He raised Sokka!    
He’d have to bring himself to stare into a spitting image of himself and...end his life. Sokka was so smart and kind! How could a father bring himself to such...acts without seeing the past.

Sokka losing his first tooth. Sokka going on his first hunt. When Sokka finally got over his lisp. Or when the young boy learned his first swear word. Or even tucking the boy in a night and kissing him on the forehead despite his complaints of being “not tired”

Luckily Hakoda was brought to even think of...doing that to his little boy.    
But Ozai thought of it. And did it.

“Eh,” Zuko shrugged, “It was fine, I redirected it so he didn’t hurt me.”

“...But he had the intention,” Suki whispered.

“He’s always had the  _ intention _ .”

“...pardon?” Toph spoke again.   
Sparky couldn’t possibly be serious. She herself had some pretty shitty parents but they had never tried to murder her. And even if they did, she surely wouldn’t bring it up like it was nothing. 

“Father didn’t like me much,” Zuko shrugged like it was the perfect explanation for attempted murder.

They had all thought Ozai could have a little compassion. At least for his own family. 

Hakoda cleared his throat, edging out of the topic, “You were banished?”

Zuko nodded. 

His bright, golden eyes darkened as they traveled to the dirty concrete of the temple floor. It seemed to be a touchier subject than his father murdering him so it must have been bad.

“It wasn’t my fault.”

The words were rehearsed. Zuko had to have told himself the phrase a million times to even begin to convince himself it was true. 

He could recall nights on the Wani where he would have to be reassured by Uncle that it wasn’t his fault. Even as Iroh would comfort the boy and tell him he wasn’t at fault; Zuko wouldn’t believe it. Because Ozai was never wrong. Who was Zuko to doubt the Firelord's judgment?

He knew now that it was wrong and Ozai was bad, but he would still find little droplets of doubt intruding his thought process.

“Was it bad?” Katara frowned and for once there was no malice laced in her tone.

“Technically not, but by fire nation expectations it was.”

It must have been downright awful if it was bad for the Fire Nation. The country that committed mass genocide and wiped out an entire country thought it was bad. 

Even Sokka was quite worried. Would he be able to look at the jerkbender the same after this? Would they have to kick him out and find a new teacher for Aang?

“Uhm I...well,” Zuko sighed, “I was thirteen and I wanted to go to a war meeting-”

Sokka felt his lips quirk upwards. He remembered being younger and sneaking into meetings at the southern water tribe.

“My Uncle allowed it but I was supposed to keep my mouth shut,” Zuko continued, not making eye contact with any of them, “So Uhm I did? For most of the meeting, but then...they uhm...proposed a battle that would use new recruits as bait. They would die…”

“The 41st division,” Chit Sang hummed, eyes glazing over.

Zuko nodded solemnly.

“So...you spoke out against it?” Haru asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Yep,” Zuko popped his ‘p’ “Long story short; I got banished. No more stories.”

And then he abruptly sat up, bowl in hand, and headed out to rinse his bowl and clean up.

He didn’t even say goodbye as he exited.

So...now they were back at square one: avoiding. 

Sokka sighed and placed his head in his hands. They were so close! Also, he really wanted to know what came next. It couldn’t simply be, “Hey that's a bad idea” and then “Well guess what? YA BANISHED!” 

That didn’t make sense.

Aang looked pretty distraught too, everyone could tell he was internally debating following the firebender to the prince.

Toph turned to Chit Sang who still looked too distant like he was in another world.

“So?” She prompted, “You seemed to know what Sparky was talking about and that surely can’t be all.”

“It’s not my place,” Chit Sang shook his head, eyes returning to the real world, “Perhaps you can ask the Prince later but I shouldn’t speak about it.”

Sokka groaned, tossing his head back.

“Surely he didn’t get banned for disagreeing with the plan,” Aang tried to reassure them, but it seemed more like he was comforting himself.

“No, that wasn’t why he got banished,” Chit Sang assured the children and Hakoda. And then the only other firebender they had left as well.

Toph frowned. Wow...inviting Zuko to sit with them didn’t go as well as she had hoped.

What even was the 41st division?

Luckily in order to get to the bedrooms, Zuko would have to come back into the opening, otherwise, he would simply be trapped in the kitchen.

He came out, avoiding eye contact with the group.

If it hadn’t been for his erratic heartbeat Toph wouldn’t have noticed him. He was so silent; like a ninja.

“Sparky!” She called out.

Zuko paused in his tracks and slowly turned to the group, “...yes?”

“Come finish the story bro!” Sokka begged. 

Zuko hesitated. He wasn’t sure how comfortable he felt talking about something this...traumatic? Zuko had nightmares about this; he couldn’t just blatantly throw it out there. He could have given them anything they wanted except this. They wanted to know about his mother? Fine! They wanted to know about the first time he was nearly assassinated? Fine! His father trying to shoot lightning at him when he knew Zuko wasn’t able to redirect it? Perfectly fine. His banishment was different.

On the other hand...Zuko wanted them to trust them and if the previous campfire showed anything it's that they didn’t. Katara, Suki, and Haru accused him of plotting against them. If he told them...would they trust him? Keeping secrets wasn’t exactly the way to go…

“...I was banished because I didn’t fight,” Zuko managed.

The firebender spun on his heels, prepared to leave.

Katara had other plans.

“You can’t leave it at that!” She baffled, “How do you expect us to trust you when you can’t even tell us things! Who did you have to fight? Why didn’t you? Why did it lead to your banishment? This is a conversation, not a puzzle!”

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose before throwing his hands up, “ _ Fine, _ ” he spat out.

“I had to fight...my...father and I didn’t fight him because I loved him. It led to my banishment because it was cowardly,” Zuko responded hastily, “He told me I could come back if I found the Avatar and restore my honor.”

Oh.

Oh shit.

Zuko left. For real this time, down the corridor and to his temporary bedroom. 

Katara sat back down. Her legs felt weak.

Could she believe him? The last time he revealed something of himself he betrayed her…

He got banished because he refused to fight his father? That couldn’t be true! Ozai is cruel but he has enough decency to not fight his 16 year-old-son.

_ 13-year-old son actually. _

There was also the incoming knowledge that Zuko had a reason to chase them. He didn’t really care about capturing the avatar; he just wanted to go home. He wanted to see Ozai and Azula and his mother!

But he got banished. By his father because he refused to fight.

“Should...we talk to him?” Aang hesitantly questioned. His voice was uncharacteristically quiet. It wasn’t quite a whisper, but a few struggled to hear the confusion that fell from his mouth.

“...I will,” Katara settled, her voice was sharp like a dagger. She had made her decision and was already sitting up to confront the boy who she supposedly hated.

Sokka quirked a brow, “Hey uh Katara...I don’t know if  _ you  _ going to Zuko would be the best idea.”

Teo nodded and a few murmurs were brought around the campfire.

Katara knew she wouldn’t be the best at confronting Zuko, but she did have experience. 

Waterbending and firebending were opposites. One was smooth and brought with elegant tosses. Water Benders were careful with the power they possessed; when they used it they’d practically cuddle the water as if it were a child. You could make it appear out of thin air, out of flowers, out of everything. Water was life and peace. Firebending was brought with more fury. They’d center their bodies and thrust the flames. The kicks were sharp and jagged, yet smooth and dignified. 

Water could kill a flame as a flame could vaporize water. They were enemies and they were constantly competing.

But they were so similar. As the flames danced in the wind, water would roll with it. Flames would hurt and burn people as water would drown and suffocate people. Both life and destruction.

And Katara thought herself to be the opposite of Zuko. She was rational and calm when Zuko was harsh and unjust. He was filled with rage and Katara was quite compassionate. She healed the burns he created.

_ Yet they were so similar. _

Both lost their mothers at a young age. Both had a temper. Both stubborn to a fault. They were both great cooks! They both despised being lied to despite lying to others on a few occasions. They were both human and they both made mistakes.

“I think I should,” The Water Tribe girl persisted. It had been set in stone. They could pry this opportunity out of her cold, dead hands.

“That’s fine but I’m going with you to make sure you don’t say anything dumb,” the earth bender asserted. She sat up, stretching her arms as she did so.

“Me too!” Aang beamed but his smile quickly fell as he turned to Katara, “I mean I didn’t think you were going to anything dumb, I just want to see Zuko. I’m sure it will still be fine if you just went alone, but I want to talk to Zuko t-“

Sokka interrupted the Avatar, “we get it. I’m going too.”

“Me too,” Suki chimed in.

The group looked to see if anyone else would be joining but most looked nearly uncomfortable by the thought of having a heart-to-heart with the fire nation...ex-prince?

So Suki, Sokka, Aang, Toph, and Katara were the only ones going to talk to the boy. It was probably for the best; he was most familiar with them.

Luckily Zuko’s room was decently close to where they ate.

Aang was the one who knocked on the old, wooden door.

“Zuko?” Sokka called out.

The group was silent, waiting for a response. There was a stretched pause where all the noise in the corridors was their breath.

Slowly the door creaked open revealing the scarred boy.

It was sometimes difficult to remember that the boy was their age. Sure they were all relatively mature, but that was just a con of living in such an era. The difference was they still acted like kids at times. 

Katara was mature. At a young age, she saw her mother’s red blood staining an icy floor...so she stepped up. She didn’t get to have her mother so she would just be her own mother and everyone else’s. She would make sure Toph talked about her feelings and she would comfort Aang after a nightmare, she would make dinner for them all and clean the temple. She protected them and cared for them because she felt it was her job.

But Katara was also a kid. She’d bicker with her brother, hands-on-hips, and tongue sticking out. She would pull Aang out so they could dance in the rain. She laughed and she lived despite the chip on her shoulder.

Zuko did not.

Zuko didn’t live and laughed. He sulked and avoided.    
He was like a tired, middle-aged man who was just...so done.

But now? Zuko looks small.

His perfectly poised posture was gone so they were left with a shorter, more tired-looking Zuko. His one eyebrow was furrowed with a fury that he hadn’t worn in a while and a frown was forced upon his face. 

He glanced at the group for a second and then his gold eyes went down to the stone of the temple.

_ Avoiding. _

“What?”

His voice was firm, raspy as ever, but it was the quietest they had ever heard Zuko before.

“Sparky!” Toph hissed, “You aren’t serious, are you? You just told us you got banished because you didn’t fight your own father!”

“Thanks for the reminder.”

His hand drifted towards the door, palm open as he tried to push it shut.

And he nearly did, but Sokka’s arm caught between the door itself and the frame. He was lucky Zuko hadn’t been pushing too hard on the wood, otherwise, it would have left a bruise.

“Sokka!” Katara scolded as her brother gasped. What exactly did he think was going to happen when he used his arm as a barricade for a closing door?

The water tribe warrior pulled his wrist back and shook it a bit before looking back to Zuko.

Zuko had never seen such a striking resemblance between the siblings before. It was uncanny.

Sokka’s eyes were the same dangerous blue as Katara’s. As if they were made of icy pools untouched and unspoiled by the likes of man. They were stern and calm and just like water itself, life, and death.

Despite the glint in Sokka’s eyes, his mouth was painted with a worried frown.

“Zuko…it’s uh...kinda clear your family is fucked up and all, but...we aren’t them. We won’t hurt you; you’re our friend.”

Zuko’s unscarred eye widened, “...friends?”

The word was foreign on his tongue. Zuko never had  _ friends. _ Azula had friends...and Zuko would just be forced to join them. Even with the three years spent on the Wani he hadn’t made a friend with his crewmates. He didn’t even know their names. Jin didn’t really count as a friend did she?

Zuko looked away from Sokka’s Water Tribe eyes.

“I’m really sorry that happened to you, Zuko,” Aang spoke up, his eyes wide staring up at Zuko like a little deer.

Zuko waved a hand through the air, uncomfortably, “You don’t need to apologize Aang. After all, you didn’t burn half of my face.”

Bu-

What

_ Burnt half of his face? _

The group had thought Zuko’s scar was from a training accident of sorts; the thought of it being his own father was...dumbfounding.

_ Zuko’s scar _ .

When he had been chasing the gang none had put much thought into where the burnt skin had come from nor who bestowed it upon him. They disregarded it completely. It was a sad truth but...so many had burns that marked their skins for life. It hadn’t come to their minds that the statement isn't true for firebenders.

Looking back on their time in the fire nation they realized they hadn’t seen anyone with a scar. 

Even when Zuko informed them that he refused to fight his father they didn’t quite understand the implications he was trying to convey. It wasn’t simply Zuko rejecting to fight and Ozai leaving it at that; it was Ozai fighting his thirteen-year-old son who didn’t want to hurt his father.

The charred skin around Zuko’s eye was intentional. Ozai  _ wanted  _ to see his son suffer. 

“Your scar is from your...father?” Suki paled. 

Zuko shifted uncomfortably, “Uh yeah...I told you he didn’t like me very much…”

“Look...morally I am not comfortable killing anyone...not even Ozai,” Aang began. Even Katara whipped her head around, livid. “ _ BUT _ ...I can’t stop  _ other  _ people from killing him.”

“I’ll do it!” Toph announced, practically leaping at the opportunity.

“Me too,” Suki agreed.

Sokka looked at Zuko. Burnt flesh enveloping Zuko’s left eye angrily. Despite Zuko’s dark hair covering part of it, Sokka was able to see the resemblance to...a handprint.

_ Ozai brought a palm of flames to his child’s face. _

“Me too,” Sokka fumed before his voice turned sarcastic, “What says friendship more than killing your new friend’s father!”

And then Zuko laughed.

This was the first time Aang had ever heard Zuko laugh. This was the first time any of them heard him laugh. 

Katara couldn’t help but smile at it. She could only imagine Sokka’s ego-inflating after being able to make Zuko laugh.

Zuko smiled softly, “Uhm...I guess thank you all? I’ve  _ finally  _ come to terms with the fact that Ozai is...bad. I mean...obviously, I’m here now.”

…finally???? He had forgotten Zuko had spent...three years thinking he deserved the punishment. Zuko had spent three years chasing after an old folk tale. Zuko only realized his own father’s faults nearly a week ago.

Even the thought that Zuko might’ve thought he deserved it for a second made Sokka’s heart pang, and he wasn’t too sentimental.

Sokka just thought….he could relate to Zuko a bit. They both had prodigy sisters, who many clearly favored more. Well, Azula was kinda crazy and Katara was just mean sometimes. But Sokka hadn’t even thought of his own father hurting him.

He knew Hakoda would never do such. Their father tried to make it clear every day he saw them, that he loved them dearly.

Sokka didn’t have kids himself but….he still couldn’t imagine a father...doing  _ that _ to his own child.

Sokka couldn’t help but step forward and wrap his arms around the fire bender. Zuko’s body tensed before melting like butter into the hug. From his side, Sokka could feel Aang wiggle his way in, followed by Toph, then Suki.

Katara hesitated before joining the group hug but nevertheless found herself wrapping her arms around the firebender and her friends.

“Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Take a shot every time there's a semicolon
> 
> AnyWAY there's probably a lot of grammar mistakes cause I couldn't be bothered to edit. This mf is too long, I don;t wanna spend mORE TIME.
> 
> I gtg my brother is bitching! I love y'all, please comment on this if you can!


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